Fred and Toody/The Blind Shake/Archie & the Bunkers

9/28/16 Bundle

Description

Fred & Toody are two-thirds of the legendary rock ‘n’ roll band Dead Moon. These two are rock ‘n’ roll lifers: touring relentlessly, writing relentlessly, performing relentlessly and it’s clear that their bond to the music is as powerful and genuine as the bond they share with each other. No fake news, all fact on this front. Here we have a document of a stripped-down set with a bittersweet vacancy on the drums—Andrew Loomis having passed in early 2016—lending a strange atmosphere and energy to the performance. It may have been one of the most life-affirming and heart-wrenching shows we’ve ever had in the Blue Room.

The Blind Shake represents the strengths of the Minneapolis music scene. Theirs is a sort of toxic post-rock with bursts of noise that speak directly to the proximity of Amphetamine Reptile Records. There are undertones of Devo, A-Frames, Thee Oh-Sees and more. The momentum here is impeccable and the cold North is no doubt alive with the sound of music.

Archie & The Bunkers hail from the birthplace of punk and a major rustbelt gem: Cleveland, Ohio. The band is two brothers still in high school - one on drums, the other on Farfisa organ. Although newcomers to some extent, the results are electric and positively explosive, some say reminiscent of The Cramps, The Hentchmen, Billy Childish – every incarnation of top-notch rock you can imagine. It’s rare to take an organ and make it the centerpiece of a rock ‘n’ roll band and have it make so much sense. Clearly musicians to keep your eyes on for years to come.